Status
Available
Call number
Collection
Publication
HarperAudio (2016)
Description
From the award-winning, New York Times bestselling author of NOS4A2 and Heart-Shaped Box comes a chilling novel about a worldwide pandemic of spontaneous combustion that threatens to reduce civilization to ashes and a band of improbable heroes who battle to save it, led by one powerful and enigmatic man known as the Fireman. The fireman is coming. Stay cool. No one knows exactly when it began or where it originated. A terrifying new plague is spreading like wildfire across the country, striking cities one by one: Boston, Detroit, Seattle. The doctors call it Draco Incendia Trychophyton. To everyone else it's Dragonscale, a highly contagious, deadly spore that marks its hosts with beautiful black and gold marks across their bodies-before causing them to burst into flames. Millions are infected; blazes erupt everywhere. There is no antidote. No one is safe. Harper Grayson, a compassionate, dedicated nurse as pragmatic as Mary Poppins, treated hundreds of infected patients before her hospital burned to the ground. Now she's discovered the telltale gold-flecked marks on her skin. When the outbreak first began, she and her husband, Jakob, had made a pact: they would take matters into their own hands if they became infected. To Jakob's dismay, Harper wants to live-at least until the fetus she is carrying comes to term. At the hospital, she witnessed infected mothers give birth to healthy babies and believes hers will be fine too. . . if she can live long enough to deliver the child. Convinced that his do-gooding wife has made him sick, Jakob becomes unhinged, and eventually abandons her as their placid New England community collapses in terror. The chaos gives rise to ruthless Cremation Squads-armed, self-appointed posses roaming the streets and woods to exterminate those who they believe carry the spore. But Harper isn't as alone as she fears: a mysterious and compelling stranger she briefly met at the hospital, a man in a dirty yellow fire fighter's jacket, carrying a hooked iron bar, straddles the abyss between insanity and death. Known as The Fireman, he strolls the ruins of New Hampshire, a madman afflicted with Dragonscale who has learned to control the fire within himself, using it as a shield to protect the hunted . . . and as a weapon to avenge the wronged. In the desperate season to come, as the world burns out of control, Harper must learn the Fireman's secrets before her life-and that of her unborn child-goes up in smoke.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member RidgewayGirl
Harper is a school nurse when the virus commonly called dragonscale first appears, and as the infection widens into a global pandemic, she works tirelessly in the local hospital. The virus causes a rash that looks like an elaborate tattoo and the infected die when they self-combust. There's
If you didn't know that Joe Hill was Stephen King's son, you would by the end of The Fireman, which reads as a loving homage. This feels like a King novel, although Hill's writing style is different, he retains King's love of adding pop cultural references. I don't want to give away any of the plot, as it's too much fun to read without knowing what will happen next as Harper goes from being a sweet young woman who loves Mary Poppins to finding out that she's got an iron will and the personal strength to lead. Hill takes the time to create fully developed characters; ordinary people facing extraordinary conditions and keeping their reactions nuanced and believable.
And, best of all, The Fireman is just a lot of fun to read.
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widespread panic that Harper manages to stay free of until the hospital burns down and she returns home to her beloved husband, Jakob. If you didn't know that Joe Hill was Stephen King's son, you would by the end of The Fireman, which reads as a loving homage. This feels like a King novel, although Hill's writing style is different, he retains King's love of adding pop cultural references. I don't want to give away any of the plot, as it's too much fun to read without knowing what will happen next as Harper goes from being a sweet young woman who loves Mary Poppins to finding out that she's got an iron will and the personal strength to lead. Hill takes the time to create fully developed characters; ordinary people facing extraordinary conditions and keeping their reactions nuanced and believable.
And, best of all, The Fireman is just a lot of fun to read.
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LibraryThing member ecataldi
Hands down my favorite Joe Hill book to date! Once I got into this I couldn't put it down and I stayed up past midnight last night to finish reading it. The Fireman was eerily reminiscent of "Fahrenheit 451" and his father, Stephen King's "The Stand" (which he acknowledges in the introduction, as
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well as giving JK Rowling some love. How can you not love this man??). Instead of a plague taking over the world, a spore is. Called dragonscale, it infects people causing their bodies to become "tattooed or written on with the scale" and eventually they start smoking, combust and die. When Nurse Harper contracts it her husband leaves in disgust, hoping he doesn't get it from her. Alone and pregnant she finds herself being helped as a man known as The Fireman because he has learned to control his dragonscale and weaponize it to defend himself. As the world slips further into decline and despair, Harper and the fireman hide in a little colony of the infected, trying to hide from cremation crews and other uninfected people who are soo scared of contracting dragonscale that they kill anyone they see with it. Together they learn to control and manage their dragonscale, even seeing it as a gift. Wonderfully written, the characters were tragically beautiful and sarcastic and at the end of the world I would want them by my side. LOVED this book! Show Less
LibraryThing member bragan
Funny story: I was perusing my TBR shelves, looking for something to distract me from the current state of the world, when I came across this one. "Hmm," I said to myself, "I don't really remember what this is supposed to be about, but Joe Hill writes horror fantasy stuff, right? Sounds like the
Anyway. We do fairly quickly leave resemblances to the real world behind as we follow a group of people in a secret refugee camp for the infected as they hide out from gangs of vigilantes out to kill them and learn how to live with and understand the weird-ass fire fungus they're carrying. Unfortunately, we also quickly get bogged down in a story that drags horribly -- seriously this did not remotely need to be 750 pages -- with a cast of characters none of whom ever really came alive for me at all and whose emotional moments, more often than not, felt unearned and kind of cheesy. Which is too bad, as the basic idea is interesting. Interesting in a way that requires a lot of suspension of disbelief, mind you, but that's something I was entirely willing to do. If only the effort had paid off.
It occurs to me that Joe Hill may be one of those writers I keep thinking I like more than I actually do. His short story collection [20th Century Ghosts] was really good, as was his comics series [Locke & Key]. I also remember enjoying his first novel, [Heart-Shaped Box]. But, thinking back on it, every novel of his I've read since then has left me feeling some degree of disappointment. So maybe my reaction to this one should have surprised me less.
Rating: 2.5/5. I keep wanting to rate it higher, telling myself that it was mostly readable, it was an interesting idea, it wasn't that bad. But, honestly, when my primary feeling on finally turning the last page of a novel is relief that it's finally over and I can go on with my life now, I don't think a higher rating is justified.
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kind of absorbing escapism I could use right now." So I open it up, and start reading... about a nurse desperately trying to treat patients in an overwhelmed hospital during a global pandemic. Well, so much for escapism. Although it's nice to think that, however bad COVID-19 might be, at least it doesn't cause people to spontaneously combust like the weird fungal infection in the novel. Even if the way the fictional infection sets most of the US on actual fire works almost too well as a metaphor.Anyway. We do fairly quickly leave resemblances to the real world behind as we follow a group of people in a secret refugee camp for the infected as they hide out from gangs of vigilantes out to kill them and learn how to live with and understand the weird-ass fire fungus they're carrying. Unfortunately, we also quickly get bogged down in a story that drags horribly -- seriously this did not remotely need to be 750 pages -- with a cast of characters none of whom ever really came alive for me at all and whose emotional moments, more often than not, felt unearned and kind of cheesy. Which is too bad, as the basic idea is interesting. Interesting in a way that requires a lot of suspension of disbelief, mind you, but that's something I was entirely willing to do. If only the effort had paid off.
It occurs to me that Joe Hill may be one of those writers I keep thinking I like more than I actually do. His short story collection [20th Century Ghosts] was really good, as was his comics series [Locke & Key]. I also remember enjoying his first novel, [Heart-Shaped Box]. But, thinking back on it, every novel of his I've read since then has left me feeling some degree of disappointment. So maybe my reaction to this one should have surprised me less.
Rating: 2.5/5. I keep wanting to rate it higher, telling myself that it was mostly readable, it was an interesting idea, it wasn't that bad. But, honestly, when my primary feeling on finally turning the last page of a novel is relief that it's finally over and I can go on with my life now, I don't think a higher rating is justified.
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LibraryThing member sturlington
A highly infectious spore called Dragonscale, which causes those who are infected to spontaneously combust without warning, has spawned a pandemic and brought about a collapse of society, as the healthy are tracking down and massacring the sick. When Nurse Harper Willowes becomes infected, shortly
I felt so torn over this book. The concept is unique for an apocalyptic novel. The characters are, for the most part, relatable and well-developed. The overall societal collapse and the development of a cultlike atmosphere at the campground are both chilling. The climactic scene at the campground is extremely exciting (shades of "The Lottery"). But...
At over 700 pages, this book is way, way too long. In fact, this book may have finally put me off long novels for good. Quite a lot of the beginning could have been cut, and the road trip at the end seemed unnecessarily drawn out and anticlimactic. The transformation of Harper's husband from doting to full-on maniac strained believability quite a bit, as did the unrealistic portrayal of the final stages of Harper's pregnancy. The romance seemed clumsy and forced. And while I enjoyed the allusions to the works of Stephen King (Hill's dad) in N0S4A2, I found the frequent allusions to The Stand here to be heavy-handed and out of place, especially the echoing of character names.
I think this could have been a five-star book, if it had been more focused and true to its center. Unfortunately, as it stands, it is a disappointment.
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after learning she is also pregnant, her husband tries to kill her; she barely escapes with the help of a mysterious man, the Fireman, who hides her with other infected at a summer camp, where she learns that Dragonscale can be controlled.I felt so torn over this book. The concept is unique for an apocalyptic novel. The characters are, for the most part, relatable and well-developed. The overall societal collapse and the development of a cultlike atmosphere at the campground are both chilling. The climactic scene at the campground is extremely exciting (shades of "The Lottery"). But...
At over 700 pages, this book is way, way too long. In fact, this book may have finally put me off long novels for good. Quite a lot of the beginning could have been cut, and the road trip at the end seemed unnecessarily drawn out and anticlimactic. The transformation of Harper's husband from doting to full-on maniac strained believability quite a bit, as did the unrealistic portrayal of the final stages of Harper's pregnancy. The romance seemed clumsy and forced. And while I enjoyed the allusions to the works of Stephen King (Hill's dad) in N0S4A2, I found the frequent allusions to The Stand here to be heavy-handed and out of place, especially the echoing of character names.
I think this could have been a five-star book, if it had been more focused and true to its center. Unfortunately, as it stands, it is a disappointment.
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LibraryThing member BillieBook
It hurts my heart to give a Joe Hill book a measly three stars, but I can't justify anything more. Hill has always offered original tales, or unique twists on oft-told tales, but this book just felt derivative. I liked the characters and, as always, Hill's prose is full of turns of phrase that
I wanted so much to love this novel as I have loved Hill's previous works, but, eventually, every author missteps for readers with one book or another. For me, this was Joe Hill's misstep.
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shine, but there was nothing about this plot that felt new.It was over-long and crammed full of too many "villains". But, the greatest sin this book commits, to me, is the sin of trying too hard to be a Stephen King novel--specifically The Stand. For anyone who's read The Stand, the parallels will be obvious, sometimes painfully so. I wanted so much to love this novel as I have loved Hill's previous works, but, eventually, every author missteps for readers with one book or another. For me, this was Joe Hill's misstep.
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LibraryThing member runner56
I am a great fan of Joe Hill and believe that he is one of the most exciting horror/fantasy writers of his generation. He is a friend of UK readers and has twice visited his worshiping fans in the last 2 years, and on the first occasion I was lucky enough to be part of that unique gathering at
However as a blogger and reviewer I must be impartial when I read, analyse and review a work by any author and sometimes that process can be painful in what I feel and say but always truthful in my interpretation. It is therefore with some great disappointment that having read The Fireman I must now admit that I really did not enjoy, which is a pity as I thought The Heart Shaped Box, Horns and NOS4R2 were superb examples of modern horror.
The Fireman starts with great promise and when we first meet Harper Grayson she is a dedicated nurse at a hospital in Portsmouth Maine. The world is in meltdown, a dystopian society being ravaged by a terrible plague or spore known as Draco Incendia Trychophyton more commonly referred to as Dragonscale. and manifests itself by marking its hosts with black and gold marks across their bodies before bursting into flames. In a short time Harper realizes two things, she has the spore and she is pregnant by her partner Jakob. Her somewhat deranged partner wishes to fulfil a suicide pact, as he feels it would be better to die this way, in control, rather than wait for the spore to follow its natural process. Harper believes in life of her newborn and makes her escape, aided by The Fireman (who has learned to control the fire) to Camp Wyndham. Here she hope to understand with the help of The Fireman how to cure and live with Dragonscale.
At this stage in the story I felt I was reading a very original and thought provoking tale but once the action decamps to Wyndham my interest in the proceedings diminished and I found myself wanting this overlong, overwordy parody of a dystopian tale to finish. I had little sympathy with any of the characters who now it appeared were content to debate, discuss, and formulate their future rather than actually take any positive action. The majority of the novel therefore became to me an issue of resilience as I attempted to finish rather than abandon.
That is not to say there were not some fun moments. Dragonscale it appears responds badly to stress and if you can create a feeling of security and well-being and acceptance, the Dragonscale will react in a very different way. This was known as “joining the Bright” and when actioned the spore could be controlled....”making you feel more alive than you’ve ever felt before. It will make colors deeper and tastes richer and emotions stronger. It’s like being set on fire with happiness. And you don’t just feel your happiness. Your feel everyone else’s, too....And you don’t burn”. In one other memorable scene Harper takes charge of a raiding party in attempt to acquire much needed medical supplies by the high jacking of an ambulance. I also enjoyed the concept of the Cremation Crew in effect vigilantes who sought out and murdered anyone suspected of carrying the spore.
Finally the reader receives some award for his perseveration when a group from the camp led by our heroes Harper and The Fireman decide to break out and make the perilous journey to the aptly name “Martha Quinns” island where it is hoped salvation in the form of isolation, acceptance and harmony will form the foundation for a future world society. This final journey by our unlikely band of heroes gave a little contentment to me the reader but unfortunately the protracted and drawn out nature of this dystopian tale failed to impress, and I was very pleased myself to have survived the journey and lived to write this review!!
I received an advance copy of this novel for a true and honest review, and that is what I have written.
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Waterstones bookstore in Bristol.However as a blogger and reviewer I must be impartial when I read, analyse and review a work by any author and sometimes that process can be painful in what I feel and say but always truthful in my interpretation. It is therefore with some great disappointment that having read The Fireman I must now admit that I really did not enjoy, which is a pity as I thought The Heart Shaped Box, Horns and NOS4R2 were superb examples of modern horror.
The Fireman starts with great promise and when we first meet Harper Grayson she is a dedicated nurse at a hospital in Portsmouth Maine. The world is in meltdown, a dystopian society being ravaged by a terrible plague or spore known as Draco Incendia Trychophyton more commonly referred to as Dragonscale. and manifests itself by marking its hosts with black and gold marks across their bodies before bursting into flames. In a short time Harper realizes two things, she has the spore and she is pregnant by her partner Jakob. Her somewhat deranged partner wishes to fulfil a suicide pact, as he feels it would be better to die this way, in control, rather than wait for the spore to follow its natural process. Harper believes in life of her newborn and makes her escape, aided by The Fireman (who has learned to control the fire) to Camp Wyndham. Here she hope to understand with the help of The Fireman how to cure and live with Dragonscale.
At this stage in the story I felt I was reading a very original and thought provoking tale but once the action decamps to Wyndham my interest in the proceedings diminished and I found myself wanting this overlong, overwordy parody of a dystopian tale to finish. I had little sympathy with any of the characters who now it appeared were content to debate, discuss, and formulate their future rather than actually take any positive action. The majority of the novel therefore became to me an issue of resilience as I attempted to finish rather than abandon.
That is not to say there were not some fun moments. Dragonscale it appears responds badly to stress and if you can create a feeling of security and well-being and acceptance, the Dragonscale will react in a very different way. This was known as “joining the Bright” and when actioned the spore could be controlled....”making you feel more alive than you’ve ever felt before. It will make colors deeper and tastes richer and emotions stronger. It’s like being set on fire with happiness. And you don’t just feel your happiness. Your feel everyone else’s, too....And you don’t burn”. In one other memorable scene Harper takes charge of a raiding party in attempt to acquire much needed medical supplies by the high jacking of an ambulance. I also enjoyed the concept of the Cremation Crew in effect vigilantes who sought out and murdered anyone suspected of carrying the spore.
Finally the reader receives some award for his perseveration when a group from the camp led by our heroes Harper and The Fireman decide to break out and make the perilous journey to the aptly name “Martha Quinns” island where it is hoped salvation in the form of isolation, acceptance and harmony will form the foundation for a future world society. This final journey by our unlikely band of heroes gave a little contentment to me the reader but unfortunately the protracted and drawn out nature of this dystopian tale failed to impress, and I was very pleased myself to have survived the journey and lived to write this review!!
I received an advance copy of this novel for a true and honest review, and that is what I have written.
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LibraryThing member ssimon2000
I received this from Edelweiss and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
There aren't enough stars in the Goodreads rating system for this one! What a great book!
Joe Hill channels his father's literary genes with this one, and it reads almost like an homage to classic Stephen King, with
The story itself is very compelling, and in typical Joe Hill fashion, the many twists and turns in the plot are quite shocking. The characters are believable and likeable, and the situations in which they find themselves never seem to let up, all the way to the ending. I'm not going to discuss anything about the plot, you can read the synopsis. But keep this in mind: the synopsis only covers a miniscule amount of the intensity of this book. Also keep in mind, this book will hit you over and over and over heart-wrenchingly deep in the feels.
If you are already a Joe Hill or Stephen King fan, you know you need to read this book. If you haven't read any of Joe Hill's books, this would be an **excellent** place to start!
There aren't enough stars in the Goodreads rating system for this one! What a great book!
Joe Hill channels his father's literary genes with this one, and it reads almost like an homage to classic Stephen King, with
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hidden "Easter eggs" hidden throughout from many of his father's books, as well as many of his own. Love it!The story itself is very compelling, and in typical Joe Hill fashion, the many twists and turns in the plot are quite shocking. The characters are believable and likeable, and the situations in which they find themselves never seem to let up, all the way to the ending. I'm not going to discuss anything about the plot, you can read the synopsis. But keep this in mind: the synopsis only covers a miniscule amount of the intensity of this book. Also keep in mind, this book will hit you over and over and over heart-wrenchingly deep in the feels.
If you are already a Joe Hill or Stephen King fan, you know you need to read this book. If you haven't read any of Joe Hill's books, this would be an **excellent** place to start!
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LibraryThing member tapestry100
Spoiler Alert!!
I'm not quite sure how to review Joe Hill's The Fireman. On the one hand, I found the book compelling enough to basically read it in two sittings. On the other hand, when all was said and done, I don't actually think that it is very good, which surprised me. Being titled The Fireman,
Harper Grayson née Willowes is trying to find her way in a world that has been ravaged by a new plague called Draco Incendia Trychophyton, otherwise known as Dragonscale. When infected, the human body presents the contagion as bands of black and gold markings on the skin, and eventually the sick will spontaneously combust. Harper was a nurse at a hospital and eventually contracts the disease. At the same time, she becomes pregnant and her partner, Jakob, goes mad thinking she spread it to him as well.
After Jakob tries to kill Harper and she is rescued by the Fireman, she is brought to Camp Wyndham where a small congregation has come together and has found a way to keep from burning by entering what is called the Bright. Being a nurse, she is taken on as the ad hoc doctor for the camp.* While everything at Camp Wyndham appears perfect at first, eventually it all predictably falls apart, as secrets are kept, items and food are stolen, and a religious fervor begins to take over the group. Harper, with a small number of other infected, decides that it is time to escape Camp Wyndham, but before they can do that, things go even more wrong, and in the end, it's Harper, the Fireman, and three others who manage to escape to make their way north to Martha Quinn's island, a sanctuary for those who are infected.**
This is all a very simplistic breakdown of the story, as the book is over 700 pages, so there are many nuances in the story that I've glazed over. There should be quite a bit in this book that I should like, and I did enjoy some of it, but many sections ran on for way too long for my liking. I grew wary throughout the second act of the book while Harper is trying to deal with the religious fervor in the camp. It was all just a bit too predictable for me; I had it figured who was behind everything far before the reveal. And the Fireman's numerous flashback expositions during this section felt a little forced, and every time we came across one, I couldn't help to think, "Of course we need a flashback right now. Because, exposition."
During the third act of the book, I couldn't help but think that Hill was trying to create his own condensed version of The Road by way of his dad.*** Again, this section just drug on for way too long as they are chased by Harpers's ex, and then forced to walk for miles and miles, and I get why it did as he was creating a false sense of security, but I knew something was up by the time they got to the processing center for Martha Quinn's island. And did I mention that Harper is very pregnant through this entire ordeal?
The title character, the Fireman, takes a backseat to the action for most of the time, or is just the plot device to help Harper achieve her goals. And is also the necessary love interest. Because, it's a woman, so she needs to fall in love with someone. I felt the Fireman should have been a little more enigmatic, more a force of nature than a wise-cracking Brit.
Yet, through all that I didn't like about the book, Hill writes with an urgency that makes the book practically unputdownable, which is where I'm having a hard time not liking the book. I couldn't wait to see how everything played out, yet the entire time I was vaguely bored with the whole thing. It just seemed like Hill was using way too many too familiar tropes and in the end, the book didn't feel all that original.
* Now, I'm not a nurse and I could be very wrong about this, but it seemed that Harper's medical knowledge appeared to be a bit more involved than a nurse's would be. Please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.
** Yes, that Martha Quinn. No sh*t.
*** I'm sorry, but this time, I really felt that Hill was channeling his dad in this book. I try not to make that comparison between the two, but this book felt too much like something his dad would have written. And no, I would not compare it to The Stand.
I received a free digital ARC from Edelweiss for a fair and honest review.
I'm not quite sure how to review Joe Hill's The Fireman. On the one hand, I found the book compelling enough to basically read it in two sittings. On the other hand, when all was said and done, I don't actually think that it is very good, which surprised me. Being titled The Fireman,
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I expected more from the actual Fireman, but I'm pretty sure the book wouldn't have sold as well had it been titled The Pregnant Nurse, because that's who the book is really about.Harper Grayson née Willowes is trying to find her way in a world that has been ravaged by a new plague called Draco Incendia Trychophyton, otherwise known as Dragonscale. When infected, the human body presents the contagion as bands of black and gold markings on the skin, and eventually the sick will spontaneously combust. Harper was a nurse at a hospital and eventually contracts the disease. At the same time, she becomes pregnant and her partner, Jakob, goes mad thinking she spread it to him as well.
After Jakob tries to kill Harper and she is rescued by the Fireman, she is brought to Camp Wyndham where a small congregation has come together and has found a way to keep from burning by entering what is called the Bright. Being a nurse, she is taken on as the ad hoc doctor for the camp.* While everything at Camp Wyndham appears perfect at first, eventually it all predictably falls apart, as secrets are kept, items and food are stolen, and a religious fervor begins to take over the group. Harper, with a small number of other infected, decides that it is time to escape Camp Wyndham, but before they can do that, things go even more wrong, and in the end, it's Harper, the Fireman, and three others who manage to escape to make their way north to Martha Quinn's island, a sanctuary for those who are infected.**
This is all a very simplistic breakdown of the story, as the book is over 700 pages, so there are many nuances in the story that I've glazed over. There should be quite a bit in this book that I should like, and I did enjoy some of it, but many sections ran on for way too long for my liking. I grew wary throughout the second act of the book while Harper is trying to deal with the religious fervor in the camp. It was all just a bit too predictable for me; I had it figured who was behind everything far before the reveal. And the Fireman's numerous flashback expositions during this section felt a little forced, and every time we came across one, I couldn't help to think, "Of course we need a flashback right now. Because, exposition."
During the third act of the book, I couldn't help but think that Hill was trying to create his own condensed version of The Road by way of his dad.*** Again, this section just drug on for way too long as they are chased by Harpers's ex, and then forced to walk for miles and miles, and I get why it did as he was creating a false sense of security, but I knew something was up by the time they got to the processing center for Martha Quinn's island. And did I mention that Harper is very pregnant through this entire ordeal?
The title character, the Fireman, takes a backseat to the action for most of the time, or is just the plot device to help Harper achieve her goals. And is also the necessary love interest. Because, it's a woman, so she needs to fall in love with someone. I felt the Fireman should have been a little more enigmatic, more a force of nature than a wise-cracking Brit.
Yet, through all that I didn't like about the book, Hill writes with an urgency that makes the book practically unputdownable, which is where I'm having a hard time not liking the book. I couldn't wait to see how everything played out, yet the entire time I was vaguely bored with the whole thing. It just seemed like Hill was using way too many too familiar tropes and in the end, the book didn't feel all that original.
* Now, I'm not a nurse and I could be very wrong about this, but it seemed that Harper's medical knowledge appeared to be a bit more involved than a nurse's would be. Please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.
** Yes, that Martha Quinn. No sh*t.
*** I'm sorry, but this time, I really felt that Hill was channeling his dad in this book. I try not to make that comparison between the two, but this book felt too much like something his dad would have written. And no, I would not compare it to The Stand.
I received a free digital ARC from Edelweiss for a fair and honest review.
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LibraryThing member BrandieC
Joe Hill chose to write semi-pseudonymously for a decade before he was outed as Stephen King's son because he wanted his work to stand, or fall, on its own merits. As he told Writer's Digest in 2014, "[w]hen I was a younger guy, I was really insecure. I was afraid if I wrote as Joseph King that
I hate to compare Hill to his father, but as he himself acknowledged to Writer's Digest, "it's really impossible to have a lifelong career as a novelist and not write stuff that is occasionally reflective on my parents." The Fireman reflects the best of Stephen King while still being uniquely Hill's own. At times I felt its 725 pages were a little long, but looking back, I can't identify a single part I would have cut. In those 700+ pages, Hill gives us the full gamut of horror, from the scientific (a spore that causes humans to spontaneously combust), to the supernatural (what was really going on with Nelson Heinrich?), to psychotic cult leaders, to the worst horror of all: man's inhumanity to man.
Each character's actions, no matter how heinous, made perfect sense in the context of that character's background, personality, and interpersonal relationships, which I think is what the best horror fiction is meant to achieve: that feeling of "there, but for the grace of God, go I." The Fireman, Harper, Allie, Carol, Ben, Michael, the Seacoast Incinerators, the residents of Machias, and, yes, even Jakob - c'est moi.
I received a free copy of The Fireman through Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
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publishers would publish a lousy work because they saw a chance to make a quick buck in the last name." I suspect that any such insecurity is long gone given the success of Hill's previous works, but if not, he should rest assured that his own spot in the pantheon of great horror writers will be further secured by his achievement in The Fireman.I hate to compare Hill to his father, but as he himself acknowledged to Writer's Digest, "it's really impossible to have a lifelong career as a novelist and not write stuff that is occasionally reflective on my parents." The Fireman reflects the best of Stephen King while still being uniquely Hill's own. At times I felt its 725 pages were a little long, but looking back, I can't identify a single part I would have cut. In those 700+ pages, Hill gives us the full gamut of horror, from the scientific (a spore that causes humans to spontaneously combust), to the supernatural (what was really going on with Nelson Heinrich?), to psychotic cult leaders, to the worst horror of all: man's inhumanity to man.
Each character's actions, no matter how heinous, made perfect sense in the context of that character's background, personality, and interpersonal relationships, which I think is what the best horror fiction is meant to achieve: that feeling of "there, but for the grace of God, go I." The Fireman, Harper, Allie, Carol, Ben, Michael, the Seacoast Incinerators, the residents of Machias, and, yes, even Jakob - c'est moi.
I received a free copy of The Fireman through Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
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LibraryThing member Cherylk
I was able to snag an early copy of this book for which I was very excited to pick up and read. Sitting at an impressive 768 pages this is not a book but a tome. While I own several of Mr. Hill's books, I have only read the Heart Shaped Box. It was this book that hooked me and left me wanting to
The beginning of this book started out great. I was memorized by the Dragonscale and its effect on people. I could just picture the image that Harper saw from her school window as she watched the man ignite and burn up into a pile of ash. Then there is the "Fireman". He brings an intriguing element to the story. I would call him a wild card. Although I liked this tome and the concept, I found that the beginning was great and the ending but the middle was just a lot of talking and not as much action. So at times reading this tome you experience the long length of the 768 pages. Yet, I am inspired to go back and read the other books I own by Mr. Hill.
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read more but Mr. Hill. He is making his own path in the writing world without the name of his father, which I applaud. The beginning of this book started out great. I was memorized by the Dragonscale and its effect on people. I could just picture the image that Harper saw from her school window as she watched the man ignite and burn up into a pile of ash. Then there is the "Fireman". He brings an intriguing element to the story. I would call him a wild card. Although I liked this tome and the concept, I found that the beginning was great and the ending but the middle was just a lot of talking and not as much action. So at times reading this tome you experience the long length of the 768 pages. Yet, I am inspired to go back and read the other books I own by Mr. Hill.
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LibraryThing member zmagic69
Well it finally came out. A big, fun, scary, thrilling, gory, entertaining book to read this summer. 750 pages and it takes off from the first page. The e-reader Kaye the route to go as the book is thick and heavy. But one this is for sure, people will be reading and talking about The Fireman.
This was a very enjoyable book to read.
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People will no doubt compare it to his dad's books: The Stand and Fire-Starter, there are certainly elements of these books in the story along with Cormac McCarthy's The Road, and a good number of other apocalyptic books, but to do so is unfair. The Fireman is really about the behavior of people in good times and bad, the role religion and false religion as well as beliefs affect those touched by them. The book makes the reader question how would they react in a similar situation. The ending is not predictable, and those who survive through to the end may surprise the reader.This was a very enjoyable book to read.
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LibraryThing member jmchshannon
Humans are doomed. At least that is if Joe Hill’s imagination has anything to do with it. The portrayal of humanity in a crisis he puts forth in his latest novel is bleak. In his world, humans do not react well to the thought of becoming infected with Dragonscale and will take drastic, brutal
Actually, that is the only reason why I would classify The Fireman as a horror novel. The story itself is not scary in the traditional sense of the word; it is psychologically suspenseful with horrifying scenes. The horror lies in the violence people do to one another and the rapidity at which they resort to said violence. One day, they are rational, compassionate human beings, and the next day they are vigilantes looking to perform cruel punishments on the infected. There is gore, but that is to be expected when discussing a disease that causes spontaneous combustion. In all, this is a novel that should have greater appeal to people specifically because it does not involve things that go bump in the night or psychopaths hiding in the shadows.
Another thing that helps ease some of the horror connotations is Harper herself. The title of the novel is The Fireman but the story is really Harper’s. You see everything through her eyes; from the beginnings of the crisis until the very last page, you are with her as she fights for her life and the life of her baby’s. The Fireman is an important character who helps Harper find her inner fierceness, but the story is hers.
To that end, Mary Poppins is not just her favorite movie, it is her entire way of life. She sings songs from the movie. She uses phrases from the movie. Almost every reference she makes is to Mary Poppins or some other Disney live-action movie from the 1960s and 1970s. Harper would prefer life were a Disney movie, but that does not stop her from having a very pragmatic approach to the current hellish scenarios she now faces. In fact, this dichotomy between Harper’s Mary Poppins’ references – almost constant – against the very harsh truth about life with Dragonscale is highly amusing. You cannot help but love Harper because she is so optimistic and practical, even when things look their bleakest, and her tendency to spout off a Mary catchphrase in times of trouble helps defuse some of the tension.
Mr. Hill’s writing is almost hypnotic in scope. It is a testament to his writing that he makes you want to catch Dragonscale. The descriptions of the marks are so gorgeous and the side effects of learning how to live with it so rapturous that there does not seem to be a downside to the disease. Mr. Hill uses this envy to create sympathy and further differentiate between the villains and the innocent.
With his recent novels, Joe Hill seems to be distancing himself from his father and writing stories that are more intense than scary. While he includes fanciful elements, his evils seem more psychological than supernatural. The Fireman is no different as it posits victimology over everything else. To me, this makes for a much more intriguing novel, while Harper’s Mary Poppins obsession adds a layer of entertainment. Because of this, The Fireman is going to be one hot ticket this spring and summer.
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measures to ensure their safety. The Fireman’s tactics are equally violent because this world is one where passive resistance has absolute no impact. This more than anything is the reason why The Fireman is a horror novel.Actually, that is the only reason why I would classify The Fireman as a horror novel. The story itself is not scary in the traditional sense of the word; it is psychologically suspenseful with horrifying scenes. The horror lies in the violence people do to one another and the rapidity at which they resort to said violence. One day, they are rational, compassionate human beings, and the next day they are vigilantes looking to perform cruel punishments on the infected. There is gore, but that is to be expected when discussing a disease that causes spontaneous combustion. In all, this is a novel that should have greater appeal to people specifically because it does not involve things that go bump in the night or psychopaths hiding in the shadows.
Another thing that helps ease some of the horror connotations is Harper herself. The title of the novel is The Fireman but the story is really Harper’s. You see everything through her eyes; from the beginnings of the crisis until the very last page, you are with her as she fights for her life and the life of her baby’s. The Fireman is an important character who helps Harper find her inner fierceness, but the story is hers.
To that end, Mary Poppins is not just her favorite movie, it is her entire way of life. She sings songs from the movie. She uses phrases from the movie. Almost every reference she makes is to Mary Poppins or some other Disney live-action movie from the 1960s and 1970s. Harper would prefer life were a Disney movie, but that does not stop her from having a very pragmatic approach to the current hellish scenarios she now faces. In fact, this dichotomy between Harper’s Mary Poppins’ references – almost constant – against the very harsh truth about life with Dragonscale is highly amusing. You cannot help but love Harper because she is so optimistic and practical, even when things look their bleakest, and her tendency to spout off a Mary catchphrase in times of trouble helps defuse some of the tension.
Mr. Hill’s writing is almost hypnotic in scope. It is a testament to his writing that he makes you want to catch Dragonscale. The descriptions of the marks are so gorgeous and the side effects of learning how to live with it so rapturous that there does not seem to be a downside to the disease. Mr. Hill uses this envy to create sympathy and further differentiate between the villains and the innocent.
With his recent novels, Joe Hill seems to be distancing himself from his father and writing stories that are more intense than scary. While he includes fanciful elements, his evils seem more psychological than supernatural. The Fireman is no different as it posits victimology over everything else. To me, this makes for a much more intriguing novel, while Harper’s Mary Poppins obsession adds a layer of entertainment. Because of this, The Fireman is going to be one hot ticket this spring and summer.
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LibraryThing member FrankErrington
Review copy
Hands-down, the best book I've read in 2016. The Fireman is nearly enough to make me stop reading. I enjoyed this so much, I find it unlikely I'll read anything better for a long time to come.
No, it's not a literary masterpiece, I don't for a minute think that's what Joe set out to give
As you likely already know, Joe Hill is Stephen King's son. As such, it would only be natural to draw comparisons to his father's epic apocalyptic story, The Stand. While you needn't have read The Stand to enjoy The Fireman, if you have, you'll likely get a kick out of a number of little bits which allude to his father's masterpiece. One example: in The Fireman there is a character, named Harold Cross. If you are a fan of The Stand you probably see the connection right away. There are a number of other gems like that, but I'll leave them to you to discover for yourself.
The Fireman gets to the action in the very first chapter and does not let up until the reader gets through all 763 pages. Generally, when I'm reading a book to review, I'll make a series of notes as I go along. Not so much with this one, I was so engrossed in the tale. Joe Hill imbues his characters with heart and soul. They aren't just pieces to be moved around on a chess board. They are real people with wishes and needs, with compassion and purpose.
There's a bit of Ray Bradbury, P. L. Travers, J. K. Rowling, and Stephen King woven into this work, but in the end, it's all Joe Hill and I believe it is his best work yet.
The Fireman is available from William Morrow publishing in hardcover, paperback, e-book, and a variety of audio formats.
Joe Hill is the author of the New York Times bestsellers NOS4A2, Horns, and Heart-Shaped Box, and the prize-winning story collection 20th Century Ghosts. He is also the Eisner Award-winning writer of the six volume graphic novel series, Locke & Key.
Hands-down, the best book I've read in 2016. The Fireman is nearly enough to make me stop reading. I enjoyed this so much, I find it unlikely I'll read anything better for a long time to come.
No, it's not a literary masterpiece, I don't for a minute think that's what Joe set out to give
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us. What The Fireman was, for me, is a story filled with wonder and wonderful things. It was a tale that evoked emotion from me. Joy, tears, anger, were all a part of the experience. And then there were the Easter eggs.As you likely already know, Joe Hill is Stephen King's son. As such, it would only be natural to draw comparisons to his father's epic apocalyptic story, The Stand. While you needn't have read The Stand to enjoy The Fireman, if you have, you'll likely get a kick out of a number of little bits which allude to his father's masterpiece. One example: in The Fireman there is a character, named Harold Cross. If you are a fan of The Stand you probably see the connection right away. There are a number of other gems like that, but I'll leave them to you to discover for yourself.
The Fireman gets to the action in the very first chapter and does not let up until the reader gets through all 763 pages. Generally, when I'm reading a book to review, I'll make a series of notes as I go along. Not so much with this one, I was so engrossed in the tale. Joe Hill imbues his characters with heart and soul. They aren't just pieces to be moved around on a chess board. They are real people with wishes and needs, with compassion and purpose.
There's a bit of Ray Bradbury, P. L. Travers, J. K. Rowling, and Stephen King woven into this work, but in the end, it's all Joe Hill and I believe it is his best work yet.
The Fireman is available from William Morrow publishing in hardcover, paperback, e-book, and a variety of audio formats.
Joe Hill is the author of the New York Times bestsellers NOS4A2, Horns, and Heart-Shaped Box, and the prize-winning story collection 20th Century Ghosts. He is also the Eisner Award-winning writer of the six volume graphic novel series, Locke & Key.
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LibraryThing member lostinalibrary
The world is facing a pandemic like nothing that has ever been seen before. Called Dragonscale, because of the beautiful patterns it creates on the skin, it eventually causes people to spontaneously combust. As more and more medical personnel die, school nurse Harper Grayson nee Willowes volunteers
The Fireman by author Joe Hill is a very long novel but it didn’t seem like it. I was completely absorbed in the story from page one and it never lost my attention despite its length. This is the first book I have read by Hill and, admittedly, because of his pedigree, I was expecting a horror story. However, this is definitely more dystopian than horror. He does, however, share his father’s talent for creating portraits of real people, flawed in ways we can relate to, who are dealing with horrific events. But, having said that, Hill has clearly got his own stories to tell and, if this is any indication, he does it exceedingly well. His world is one we can all recognize. There is an abundance of cultural references which were both fun to spot and disturbing given the context – Harper eg is a huge fan of Disney’s Mary Poppins and tries, even under the worst possible conditions to remain upbeat and optimistic just as the song (which I have now got stuck in my head) suggests and I can’t imagine anything more endearing… or creepy. But she is more than just a one-dimensional caricature; she is also stubborn, smart, and determined and refuses to back down when she knows she’s right which makes her a very appealing character.
But, despite Harper’s optimism and the singing used by the group to control the disease, Hill gives an exceedingly bleak portrayal of how people behave in a crisis. Readers should be warned that there is some extreme violence here and the violence doesn’t just come from the vigilantes – the bad guys may seem to have few redeeming qualities but, at times, it seems like there is little to separate the ways they deal with the victims from the ways that many of the infected use to protect themselves.
That aside, this is one addicting story. It was genius bringing it out in time for the summer because, once started, putting it down will take more strength of will than I was able to display.
With thanks to Edelweiss and William Morris Publishing for the opportunity to read this novel in exchange for an honest review
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at the local hospital despite her husband’s objections and before it burns to the ground. Among the patients she treats is a young deaf boy who is brought in by a firefighter, John Rookwood. She not only becomes infected but she discovers she’s pregnant and, despite the danger, she is determined to carry the baby to term. Her husband, however, is furious and chases her out of the house. She is rescued by the firefighter she met at the hospital. He takes her to Camp Wyndham where there is a group of people who are all infected but have learned to control it through activities like singing. But the disease isn’t the only thing threatening the infected. As the disease burns a swath across the country, vigilantes begin to hunt down and kill them and her husband has joined one of these groups. The Fireman by author Joe Hill is a very long novel but it didn’t seem like it. I was completely absorbed in the story from page one and it never lost my attention despite its length. This is the first book I have read by Hill and, admittedly, because of his pedigree, I was expecting a horror story. However, this is definitely more dystopian than horror. He does, however, share his father’s talent for creating portraits of real people, flawed in ways we can relate to, who are dealing with horrific events. But, having said that, Hill has clearly got his own stories to tell and, if this is any indication, he does it exceedingly well. His world is one we can all recognize. There is an abundance of cultural references which were both fun to spot and disturbing given the context – Harper eg is a huge fan of Disney’s Mary Poppins and tries, even under the worst possible conditions to remain upbeat and optimistic just as the song (which I have now got stuck in my head) suggests and I can’t imagine anything more endearing… or creepy. But she is more than just a one-dimensional caricature; she is also stubborn, smart, and determined and refuses to back down when she knows she’s right which makes her a very appealing character.
But, despite Harper’s optimism and the singing used by the group to control the disease, Hill gives an exceedingly bleak portrayal of how people behave in a crisis. Readers should be warned that there is some extreme violence here and the violence doesn’t just come from the vigilantes – the bad guys may seem to have few redeeming qualities but, at times, it seems like there is little to separate the ways they deal with the victims from the ways that many of the infected use to protect themselves.
That aside, this is one addicting story. It was genius bringing it out in time for the summer because, once started, putting it down will take more strength of will than I was able to display.
With thanks to Edelweiss and William Morris Publishing for the opportunity to read this novel in exchange for an honest review
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LibraryThing member Jammies
Not a bad book, but the endless callbacks to The Stand got exasperating, the ending was way too drawn out and I call BS on Hill's claim that his agent didn't know his real last name for years.
LibraryThing member bookworm12
Enjoyed this one, but it definitely dragged at times. It reminded me of The Stand in a lot of ways. The disease that is infecting everyone is called Dragonscale and it was beautifully described! There are also some similarities with The Walking Dead. In extreme situations people don't really
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change, they just become a more extreme version of themselves. People who are cruel become more so. I loved some of the characters, from a pregnant woman, to a grieving mysterious man, to a young mute boy, to an older woman who finds love; the cast was diverse. Show Less
LibraryThing member BrittanyLyn
I love any and all things Joe Hill, and this one did not disappoint. Very original premise, and as I am a sucker for apocalypse fiction, I couldn't put this down. Character development really immersed me into this.
LibraryThing member rivkat
The Girl with All the Gifts meets Stephen King (and yes, I know the relationship, but a guy who repeatedly invokes how people have “forgotten the face of their fathers,” has the pregnant lead adopt a deaf boy named Nick, and names a journal-keeping, loutish character Harold Cross cannot
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complain—if you can’t escape comparison, why not lean in?). A fungal infection is destroying the world; the people who have it eventually start to smolder and burst into flames. Harper’s realization that she has it is closely tied to her realization that she’s pregnant. The dual revelations drive her turns-out-to-be-loutish husband into abuse and insanity; Harper escapes to a community of the infected who have figured out how to survive. But survival, which requires feeding the fungus with oxytocin, has its own costs—oxytocin can be produced in a lot of ways, including by attacking outsiders. A good, fast read with pretty standard “many people are awful in extremis and a few are very good” and “way too many men are sexist *ssh*l*s, but the heroes aren’t” features, as is consistent with the models. Show Less
LibraryThing member jrthebutler
A deadly pathogen, which causes its victims to burst into flame, spans the globe.
LibraryThing member sberson
A bit too long, not all that compelling.
LibraryThing member EllsbethB
This was a creative and thoughtful read. I really enjoyed Hill's takes on pandemic, religion, power, relationships, sociology, and the geek culture references sprinkled throughout this great story. This is one of my favorite reads so far this year. I look forward to reading more from Joe Hill.
LibraryThing member Unkletom
When I first read a Joe Hill book I had no idea that he was Stephen King's son so I was able to judge his work without being influenced by that knowledge. My judgement was that this guy is pretty good and I'd love to read more of his books. Since then I have read three more of his books and have
Even before starting to read The Fireman, I knew what it would be like. I'd heard that it was about an epidemic where people who have the disease suffer spontaneous combustion. With that in mind I figured it would be something like The Stand only with lots of fire. I was wrong. At the risk of revealing spoilers I won't say anything other than to tell you that this disease does more than just kill its victims. This, I believe, makes Hill's latest novel unique. Read it. You'll enjoy it.
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come to realize that his work is strongly influenced by his father, as it should be, but he still writes with a clear voice that is distinctly his own. Even before starting to read The Fireman, I knew what it would be like. I'd heard that it was about an epidemic where people who have the disease suffer spontaneous combustion. With that in mind I figured it would be something like The Stand only with lots of fire. I was wrong. At the risk of revealing spoilers I won't say anything other than to tell you that this disease does more than just kill its victims. This, I believe, makes Hill's latest novel unique. Read it. You'll enjoy it.
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LibraryThing member EmpressReece
Dragonscale...
The Fireman is post-apocalyptic novel about a new highly contagious and very deadly spore that is sweeping the country called Dragonscale. It leaves black & gold marks on the body which will then burst into flames. The story follows Harper, a pregnant nurse, as she endeavors to
I really waited way to long to write this review so my feelings about this book aren't as strong as they would've been if had wrote it right after I finished. My first thoughts though were that it was a pretty long book - almost a little too long. While I enjoyed a lot of it, there were also parts that I thought could have been cut out.
I also thought there wasn't enough research done on a pregnant female because there were quite a few highly unbelievable scenarios featuring a pregnant Harper. I really had to suspend my disbelief quite a bit on that.
As for what I liked, I really enjoyed Dragonscale as an epidemic. I thought it was a very unique concept and really well developed. It's definitely a concept I haven't seen before in a post-apocalyptic book so I was glad to hear about something new for a change. Also, I listened to the audio version and I thought the narrator did a nice job. If you like audio books this is a good book to listen to.
The Fireman is post-apocalyptic novel about a new highly contagious and very deadly spore that is sweeping the country called Dragonscale. It leaves black & gold marks on the body which will then burst into flames. The story follows Harper, a pregnant nurse, as she endeavors to
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survive and give birth while being infected with the Dragonscale and The Fireman - a man who has learned to embrace and control his Dragonscale and also wield the fire as a weapon when needed.I really waited way to long to write this review so my feelings about this book aren't as strong as they would've been if had wrote it right after I finished. My first thoughts though were that it was a pretty long book - almost a little too long. While I enjoyed a lot of it, there were also parts that I thought could have been cut out.
I also thought there wasn't enough research done on a pregnant female because there were quite a few highly unbelievable scenarios featuring a pregnant Harper. I really had to suspend my disbelief quite a bit on that.
As for what I liked, I really enjoyed Dragonscale as an epidemic. I thought it was a very unique concept and really well developed. It's definitely a concept I haven't seen before in a post-apocalyptic book so I was glad to hear about something new for a change. Also, I listened to the audio version and I thought the narrator did a nice job. If you like audio books this is a good book to listen to.
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LibraryThing member AMKee
Definitely a LONG book and that is typically not something you will ever hear me say and although I enjoyed it, I felt like it would NEVER end!
A story of a dystopian and evolving nation as the disintegration of society occurs piece by piece and the struggle of all to survive in their clique/group
A story of a dystopian and evolving nation as the disintegration of society occurs piece by piece and the struggle of all to survive in their clique/group
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of people. It was a little disconcerting considering the politic climate of today's society. Show Less
LibraryThing member arielfl
I have read and enjoyed Joe Hill's previous work. The best thing I can say about this book is that I finished it. The premise sounded great. A plague has infected the world in the form of dragon scale which causes it's sufferers to burn alive. Nurse Harper Willows finds herself pregnant and
The bulk of the book is filled with characters who deal with the affliction in very different ways. At times the book had a very Walking Dead vibe, kill the inflicted, fear those who aren't. The last 100 pages were probably the best of the whole book. It gave a glimpse into how great this story could have been if the author had tightened the story and removed about half the book. Like his father Joe loves to throw in random pop culture references like Harry potter (a lot), Game of Thrones, and Hunger Games. He went too far when he killed J.K. Rowling who of course nobly spent the last months of her life trying to save as many dragon scale victims as possible. I don't know what Joe Hill's fascination is with Martha Quinn, a person I have not given a thought to since the 80's.
The thought that the book would get better is what drove me to the end. I think there was a really good story here but it got lost in a lack of editing. The characters were not developed and I didn't care about any of them and couldn't describe them because they were all indistinct. The one character I cared about, the orange cat, was killed off, thanks Joe. That pretty much sums it up for me, I cared more about a cat in this book than any of the characters. It will be a long time before I pick up another Joe hill book. I am sincerely hoping your daddy doesn't let me down with The Outsider.
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infected. She barely escapes from an attempt on her life by the baby's father and she is determined to bring her baby into the post apocalyptic hell. She begins a journey to find a safe place to have her baby and along the way encounters the titular fireman who some how has manged to control his dragon scale. The bulk of the book is filled with characters who deal with the affliction in very different ways. At times the book had a very Walking Dead vibe, kill the inflicted, fear those who aren't. The last 100 pages were probably the best of the whole book. It gave a glimpse into how great this story could have been if the author had tightened the story and removed about half the book. Like his father Joe loves to throw in random pop culture references like Harry potter (a lot), Game of Thrones, and Hunger Games. He went too far when he killed J.K. Rowling who of course nobly spent the last months of her life trying to save as many dragon scale victims as possible. I don't know what Joe Hill's fascination is with Martha Quinn, a person I have not given a thought to since the 80's.
The thought that the book would get better is what drove me to the end. I think there was a really good story here but it got lost in a lack of editing. The characters were not developed and I didn't care about any of them and couldn't describe them because they were all indistinct. The one character I cared about, the orange cat, was killed off, thanks Joe. That pretty much sums it up for me, I cared more about a cat in this book than any of the characters. It will be a long time before I pick up another Joe hill book. I am sincerely hoping your daddy doesn't let me down with The Outsider.
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Awards
Locus Award (Finalist — 2017)
RUSA CODES Reading List (Shortlist — Horror — 2017)
NPR: Books We Love (2016)
LibraryReads (Monthly Pick — May 2016)
Original language
English
Original publication date
2016-05-17